This high-yield talk from Dr. Tao Le, the series editor for First Aid, will cover the basics of the USMLE Step 1 including an overview of the boards, goal setting, high-yield topics in each subject area, study strategies, review
resources, and study schedules.

Stay with us after the webinar for a live, interactive Q & A session.

Title: First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 by Dr. Tao Le

Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Time: 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM EST

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about how to access the Webinar.

Using this mnemonic, you can simplify the order of the four types of respiratory failure as Shunting, increased CO2 (hypoventilation), Atelectasis, and Hypoperfusion. Shunting is commonly caused by pulmonary edema, hypoventilation is either neurological or neuromuscular in etiology, atelectasis is commonly seen in perioperative patients, and cases of hypoperfusion can be found in shock.

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A 24-year-old man presents to his physician because of back pain that has become more severe over the past several months. He describes the pain as dull and localizes it to his lower back and gluteus muscles bilaterally. He notes feeling very stiff in the morning, but the stiffness improves with activity. He also notes the pain often awakens him during the night and does not go away until he gets out of bed and walks around for a while. On physical examination his lungs are clear to auscultation bilaterally, but he seems to have diminished air entry due to impaired chest wall expansion. Palpation of the sacral spine and hip joints causes pain. He cannot fully flex or extend at the hips. He also has limited hip abduction. X-ray of the spine is shown in the image.

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In a statement released in late February 2014, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the American Council on Graduate Medical Education (AGCME) announced they have finally agreed to a single accreditation system for graduate medical education. The surprising news comes on the heels of previously failed negotiations in July 2013.

From the official press release:
“From July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2020, AOA-accredited training programs will transition to ACGME recognition and accreditation. There will continue to be osteopathic-focused training programs under the ACGME accreditation system. Two osteopathic review committees will be developed to evaluate and set standards for the osteopathic aspects of training programs seeking osteopathic recognition. DOs and MDs would have access to all training programs. There will be prerequisite competencies and a recommended program of training for MD graduates who apply for entry into osteopathic-focused programs. AOA and AACOM will become ACGME member organizations, and each will have representation on ACGME’s board of directors.” (more…)

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A 34-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after being involved in a high-speed collision with an oncoming car. He has multiple fractures and contusions. Results of fundoscopy are shown in the image. The patient is stabilized and transferred to the intensive care unit. Two days later, there is evidence of gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

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While PTT and PT will both be affected by disorders of the common pathway of coagulation cascade, the PTT is used as a lab test marker for the function of the intrinsic branch of the coagulation cascade, and the PT for the extrinsic.

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An 11-year-old boy comes to the emergency department because of fever, headache, rash, and mild abdominal pain. He states that he was hiking in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina for 4 days as part of a Boy Scout trip. His temperature is 38.3°C (101°F), pulse is 115/min, blood pressure is 95/60 mm Hg, respiratory rate is 14/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Examination is most notable for the skin finding shown in the image. Laboratory tests show a WBC count of 16,000/mm³, hematocrit of 46%, and platelet count of 412,000/mm³.

The patient has which of the following conditions that is also reportable to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?

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